Audio players and specifically, portable audio players, have evolved dramatically in the past 70 years. The first portable audio player was a miniaturized radio device, known as a radio transistor, which included a compact solid-state device including a semiconductor having three or more electrodes. Some years later, analog recording technology allowed input audio waves to be converted to analog audio waves, thus making cassette tapes utilizing magnetic tape the dominant design in the portable audio player industry.
In the late 1980's, compact discs and compact disc players became widely utilized to record and play audio information. Compact discs include digital audio information and are superior to analog audio tapes in terms of durability and quality.
The most recent development in portable audio players is the chip-based digital player. A digital audio player includes an audio chip and a storage device capable of recording, storing, and playing digital audio information. Typically, an audio chip is designed to compress and decompress audio digital data in order to save memory space. Digital audio players, such as MP3 players, have become feasible for the average consumer due to the co-evolution of miniaturized high-capacity digital storage devices and digital information compression techniques. Portable audio players capable of playing MP3 media typically resemble a conventional compact disc player. Specifically, known digital audio players typically require the use of headphones by the consumer. There remains a need for a digital audio player compatible with MP3 technology that provides the consumer with an enjoyable listening experience without the need for headphones.